NetMAX Customer Stories

Providing Security Services and Remote Support to SME customers With Cybernet NetMAX 4.0

Summary:

Firewall security and virtual private network (VPN) technology are key issues for small to mid-sized businesses. This case study demonstrates how an IT consulting firm used Cybernet System's NetMAX to install an extensible new firewall/VPN appliance and to provide remote support to its customers, moving from the cardboard model phase to deployment in less than one month.

Archer Integration: company background

Archer Integration is a Richmond, VA based IT consulting firm that provides complete integration and implementation services, including firewall installation and intrusion detection. The company focuses on the small- to mid-size enterprise (SME) market segment and offers a full-range of technology solutions, including LAN and WAN design, installation and administration, custom enterprise servers and workstations, network integration, disaster recovery, anti-virus solutions, relocation/expansion project planning intrusion, network management and monitoring, remote diagnostics and maintenance support and project management.

Overview of network management for small businesses

In recent years, small businesses have started reaping the benefits of the advances made in Internet infrastructure and the underlying technology. They are increasingly using high bandwidth Internet connectivity for their information and communications needs. This has resulted in an explosion in demand from small businesses for network design, deployment and management. Boutique IT consulting firms are in the best position to fulfill this demand from SMEs through their technical expertise and their targeted technology solutions and services. Until a few years ago, small businesses did not enjoy the benefits of sophisticated network management services due to a lack of internal technical expertise, and the high cost of acquiring and maintaining secure local area networks.

For large IT consultants, delivering network management services to the highly cost-sensitive small business market was not a viable business opportunity because of the complex nature of network communication servers and costly remote management and monitoring technologies.

The challenge faced by Archer Integration

IT services, specifically integration and implementation services for small businesses, are Archer Integration's core competency. Although Archer Integration has the professional and technical expertise that its customers need, the company was in search of an a ppliance server that would perform pre-packaged Internet business functions like e-mail, web serving, file sharing, DNS/DHCP, and security functions like firewall and/or virtual private networking (VPN). The company needed a server appliance that could meet all of its remote management requirements and would be easily and quickly deployed on a customer premise. The appliance would provide not only functions such as email, web hosting and file sharing, but would also allow the company to install a firewall and provide remote support.

To meet these objectives, the solution would need to support existing infrastructure (low-cost PCs), provide firewall functionality, anti-virus protection, Web filtering, reporting and other functions that are directly downloadable over the Internet. In addition, the solution should have highly scalable processing performance and remote software upgrade capabilities. Finally, it would need to be easy to install and affordable enough to appeal to small businesses and entry-level customers.

Besides cost, a key consideration for Archer Integration was to avoid reliance on an "off-the-shelf" design that could be subject to limitations of component hardware.

Selection of suppliers

“After careful evaluation of solutions provided by Cisco's Secure PIX Firewall, Check Point NG (Next Generation), Symantec Raptor® Firewall and Novell BorderManager , we concluded that Cybernet's NetMAX was the best Internet appliance solution for our small business customers, for whom budget is a huge concern,” said Garrett Plante, co-founder and chief IT consultant at Archer Integration.

“NetMAX's ease-of-use, affordability and security features make it the best fit for our small business customers,” Plante added. “As a result, we've experienced tremendous success in deploying high-value security and remote support services to our small business customers including law offices, real-estate companies, Internet marketing companies, document reproduction companies and photo copier dealerships.”

The Solution: NetMAX 4.0

NetMAX is a comprehensive product line that brings the power of Linux to users and system administrators of all levels. This line of Linux server products provides network services functionality in a seamlessly integrated software package. The NetMAX Linux 4.0 server products consist of the NetMAX Professional Suite, NetMAX VPN Server and the NetMAX FireWall ProSuite. The NetMAX Professional Suite is used for file and print sharing, secure web, e-mail, FTP, certificate management, virtual hosting and user management. The NetMAX VPN Server provides stateful firewall and IPsec VPN, and user management features. The Firewall ProSuite offers a Firewall and router features.

The NetMAX Professional Suite 4.0 and NetMAX VPN Server Suite 4.0 are now available for download and as boxed products through Cybernet's online store at www.netmax.com. Prices start at $309 for the Professional Suite and at $269 for the VPN Suite.

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